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INUVIK - Members of a youth panel have identified a few of the major issues facing young people in Inuvik.

The panel, which meets once a month at Samuel Hearne, was formed last year.

Jasmine Brewster and Cam MacDonald, Grade 12 students at Samuel Hearne, spoke with Inuvik Drum about issues that face the youth of our community. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

During one of the final meetings of the 2007-2008 school year, the group made a list of the issues facing them in the community.

The top three were alcohol and drug abuse, missing school and bullying.

Grade 12 students Cam MacDonald and Jasmine Brewster sat down with Inuvik Drum to talk about their concerns and what can be done to improve life for youth in the community. Brewster said alcohol abuse is a problem for students in the school.

"People are missing school, or coming to class really hung over," she said. "It's disrupting their education."

MacDonald said there are plenty of recreational alternatives to drinking and doing drugs.

"You could go to the pool, or stay active some other way," he said.

Brewster said there are plenty of extra-curricular activities that take place in town, but it all comes down to what the youth want to do.

"I think the problem is getting kids to go to these things," he said.

MacDonald said he doesn't see many cases of bullying in the school, but said he has heard complaints and concerns about it.

"Bullying isn't the biggest issue, but it made it pretty high on our list," she said.

MacDonald said the three issues are all related.

"People get bullied, they might turn to drugs and alcohol, then they overdo it and miss school," he said.

Brewster said simply telling youth not to drink won't be effective.

"What we want to do is show them what happens later in life, if they choose to keep overdoing it," she said.

"We want to bring in elders and older people who have gone through that abuse and what it did to their lives."

MacDonald said the youth panel is a good initiative because it's opening up communication between the young people and the RCMP and leadership in town.

Brewster said the panel is targeting younger students to keep them away from bad decisions about drugs and alcohol.

MacDonald said it's all about moderation, which is something that is lost in the crowds of underage drinkers in town.

"It's not about the people who are out drinking once or twice. Older students having a few drinks isn't that bad," he said.

"But it shouldn't be about going out on the weekend and getting totally hammered.

"It might be cool now, but think about where you'll be in 20 years and what it will do to you."

Brewster said the group is looking to get students on board with the anti-binge drinking initiative.